Renovated Kerala Church to be Consecrated

The renovated Madre-de-Deus Church, Vettucaud, a chief Christian pilgrim centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, will be consecrated on Jan. 31.

Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop Soosa Pakiam M. of Latin archdiocese will dedicate the church to the public at a function led by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, president of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) and the head of the Syro-Malankara Church.

The dedication service at 4.30 p.m. will be attended by 13 bishops and around 100 priests.

A highlight of the renovated church is an architectural marvel that is the 3D design based on Michelangelo's painting 'The Last Judgment' and the church dome modeled on the dome of Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Over 180 art pieces by sculptor Alex Chandy ornament the walls.

Kerala church on Aug. 5 has continued to criticize National Commission for Women's (NCW) recommendations to abolish the practice of confessions in churches, calling the recommendation as a move against Indian culture of tolerance.